Michael Thompson
Title
Michael Thompson
Description
Michael Thompson was a teenager who delivered the Detroit Free Press around his neighborhood in July, 1967.
Publisher
Detroit Historical Society
Date
07/15/2015
Rights
Detroit Historical Society, Detroit, Michigan
Format
Text
Language
en-US
Type
Written Story
Coverage
12 Street; Riviera Theatre on Grand River, Detroit, Michigan
Text
I was almost 14 years old and lived at 4857 Edmonton, which was demolished for the Jeffries Freeway. I delivered the Detroit Free Press and while I was up early that morning there were rumors that there was a riot on 12th Street among the other boys picking up their papers. I went home after my deliveries and later that day went to catch a matinee at the Riviera Theatre on Grand River. After being there a while, everyone panicked and yelled "the riot is out there". When I went outside, Grand River was ablaze. It was scary. People were looting, stores were on fire.
That night it was really scary. All I remember after one night or so was the National Guard patrolling the streets and we had a curfew. A boy in the neighborhood was shot because he was on the street after curfew. One night I remember us sleeping on the floor because of the sniping and shooting. After the riots everything looked different and had changed. The community stores that we used to go to were gone; many of the stores did not come back. The community was different. We played in the streets; I caught the bus at 11 and 12 downtown. There was a sense of neighborhood and community. I will always love Detroit.
That night it was really scary. All I remember after one night or so was the National Guard patrolling the streets and we had a curfew. A boy in the neighborhood was shot because he was on the street after curfew. One night I remember us sleeping on the floor because of the sniping and shooting. After the riots everything looked different and had changed. The community stores that we used to go to were gone; many of the stores did not come back. The community was different. We played in the streets; I caught the bus at 11 and 12 downtown. There was a sense of neighborhood and community. I will always love Detroit.
Original Format
email message
Submitter's Name
Michael Thompson
Submission Date
03/20/2015
Search Terms
Detroit Free Press, Michigan National Guard
Files
Collection
Citation
“Michael Thompson,” Detroit Historical Society Oral History Archive, accessed October 13, 2024, https://detroit1967.detroithistorical.org/items/show/31.